OVER THE COUNTER: Detoxing — how to keep the body, mind uncluttered

Tuesday

Feb 27, 2018 at 11:17 AM

By Gary Kracoff and John Walczyk/Daily News Correspondents

The term “detox” when applied to diets, supplements, teas and other wellness products can mean different things to different people, so it’s understandable why it’s often viewed as either a miracle cure-all or medically unnecessary.

But true detoxification is neither of these. It is simply the process of ridding your body and mind, as much as possible, of toxins, whether chemical or psychological. Detoxification is also not just something to be found in a pill or drink, but is a process that includes healthy lifestyle changes, kicking bad habits and, yes, if needed, taking some aids to help spur things along.

Before we can legitimately talk about detoxification, however, we must recognize the two organs in our body that act as our natural detoxifying machines: our liver and our kidneys, both of which help filter our blood and keep things in balance.

Unfortunately, lifestyles can take a toll on these organs. Drinking too much alcohol, smoking, eating poorly, exercising too little, and taking too many medications make our liver work overtime, and sometimes push it to give up. Having high blood pressure or uncontrolled blood glucose such as from poorly managed diabetes, meanwhile, can put our kidneys at risk. Bad diets, failure to chew our food properly and taking antibiotics unnecessarily can also stress our entire digestive system.

You can compare these organs to a swimming pool and its filtering system. Imagine what would happen if you started pouring soda, salt and grease into a pool. Pretty soon it would get clogged, backed up, the lining would wear and rip, and you’d have a mess.

Much the same thing happens to our bodies, to our liver, kidneys and even intestinal linings, when we abuse them by always stressing out at work and at home, eating fatty foods frequently, skimping on sleep, sitting all the time, and drinking too much beer, wine and artificially caffeinated drinks. Over-the-counter pain relievers also tax the liver and kidneys.

You can get away with this kind of lifestyle for a short time, but after a while, things can start to go wrong. First comes trouble digesting food. You may get indigestion, constipation and smelly gas. Then you might have more headaches, feel less energetic, and get sick easily. And you’ll even discover that your skin is suddenly more prone to developing acne and becoming itchy or blotchy. Don’t mistake these for inevitable signs of aging; they may be symptoms that your own pool and filtering systems are getting taxed.

This is where detoxing comes in.

The key here is to think not so much of flushing the body once or even that toxins come in one form. Think instead of keeping things circulating and filtering and keeping balance, just like the chemical balance in pool water and its cleaning systems. In addition, think of keeping the bad out of the body, so that way its filters don’t have to do all the dirty work.

What this means in practice is reducing cortisol-releasing stress, maximizing consumption of antioxidants (such as those found in colorful fruits and vegetables or special supplements), preventing overgrowth of bad bacteria and yeasts in your gut by consuming good bacteria (like in probiotics and yogurts) and preventing blood from pooling up by keeping moving.

It also means sweating sometimes, which helps push out waste, and drinking water throughout the day to naturally flush out waste. It is important to avoid the bad: white flour and sugar, alcohol, drugs, smoking, chemical toxins such as those found in cleaners, and even unhealthy relationships.

If you’re interested in detoxing, start by identifying problems and seek professional advice on how to address them. For example, are you constipated? Try taking a fiber supplement, in addition to drinking more water and eating more fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils and whole grains daily. Are you run down? Try getting more exercise, while also taking a quality multivitamin and mineral supplement, and cutting down on processed foods. Are you catching more colds than usual and feel like your immune system isn’t what it used to be? Try reducing stress in your life through meditation and relaxation, and adding probiotics to your supplement regimen.

We can’t underscore enough, too, the value of a good night’s sleep, which actually is a form of detoxification, as researchers increasingly believe that’s when the body flushes the brain of toxins.

You can also consider some detox aids, such as salt baths, specialty teas such as those containing hibiscus or acai berry, fiber supplements, probiotics, and even some detox solutions and kits, provided they’re safe, gentle and recommended by qualified health professionals. Consuming dandelion, milk thistle, turmeric, garlic and cilantro also can be beneficial. But avoid harsh colon cleansers, diuretics and laxatives. They are not necessary, and can even be dangerous.

Remember, most importantly, if you live a clean life in the first place, there will be little that needs detoxing.

Gary Kracoff has a degree in naturopathic medicine and is a registered pharmacist and John Walczyk is a compounding pharmacist at Johnson Compounding & Wellness in Waltham, Mass. For more information, visit www.naturalcompounder.com. Readers with questions about natural or homeopathic medicine, compounded medications, or health in general can email gary@naturalcompounder.com or call 781-893-3870.